THIS is the photo snowboarder Rhys Peacey’s friends and family never thought they would see.
Just two months ago, the popular 22 year old, of Northwood, was hovering between life and death in a French hospital after suffering terrible head injuries in a hit-and-run accident.
Now, Rhys is well on the way to an odds-defying recovery from the accident, which nearly cost him his life.
As previously reported, Rhys was the victim of a hit-and-run incident in the town of Chamonix in the French Alps in early February, which left him in a coma.
However, just weeks after his parents were being told by doctors to prepare for the worst, Rhys is back on the Island and is undergoing rehabilitation at St Mary’s Hospital.
Every day, Rhys’s parents and many friends see huge improvements in his condition and they are hopeful he will make a full recovery.
Now, they want to thank Rhys’s friends on the Island as well as staff at St Mary’s rehabilitation unit who have supported him.
Rhys’s mother, Suzanne, who has been by her son’s side almost constantly since the accident, said: “His recovery is nothing short of miraculous. The French surgeon turned round and said Rhys was his miracle. He could not believe Rhys had woken up.”
Rhys’s father, Adam, 56, said he had been ‘totally out of his mind’ with worry but since Rhys had returned to the IW, he had witnessed an ‘amazing improvement’ in his son’s condition.
Suzanne added: “It makes you realise how precious life is and how quickly your life can be devastated. Every single person in my family has been fantastic.”
One of Rhys’s best friends, Dan Davies, 22, said: “We have noticed a huge improvement. Every couple of days, you get an improvement.”
Another friend, Connie Williamson, also 22, added: “He is very determined. It has been an amazing recovery so far.”
Caroline Bird, clinical lead physiotherapist in rehabilitation at St Mary’s, said: “Rhys has been participating well in therapy and working hard towards his rehabilitation goals since returning to St Mary’s Hospital. 
“Rhys has demonstrated good potential and will continue to work within the multidisciplinary rehabilitation team towards optimising his recovery.”